ION MEDIA BUILDS TV BROADCAST OPERATIONS AT ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY

Largest U.S. TV UHF Spectrum Operator Selects One World Trade Center as Digital Broadcast Hub for its New York Flagship TV Station

WEST PALM BEACH, FL, May 9, 2017 – ION Media, together with The Durst Organization and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, announced today that it will relocate its New York City broadcast television operations to One World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan.

ION Media’s portfolio of TV networks, including ION Television, ION Life and Qubo, will begin broadcasting from the tallest building in the western hemisphere in the fourth quarter of 2017, providing New York and the tri-state area with a perfect 360-degree signal from a state-of-the-art omni-directional antenna. This provides the ideal high-power UHF frequency footprint for high-definition broadcasting, as well as future wireless spectrum applications.

“ION emerges from the recent spectrum auction as the largest operator of full-power UHF broadcast spectrum in the U.S. Offering the best over-the-air wireless television signal in the most important media market in the world, from the top of One World Trade Center, achieves an important objective,” said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media. “We are proud to return to this premier location since our tragic departure after 9/11.”

“We are thrilled to welcome ION Media to One World Trade Center’s broadcast facility,” said John Lyons, Assistant Vice President and Director of Broadcast Communications of The Durst Organization. “The facility was designed with state-of-the-art equipment and also has the infrastructure in place for future broadcasting technological advancements.”

About The Durst Organization
The Durst Organization, founded in 1915 by Joseph Durst, is the owner, manager and builder of 13 million square feet of premier Manhattan office towers and 1,950 residential rental units with 3,400 in development. The Durst Organization is recognized as a world leader in the development of high-performance and environmentally advanced commercial and residential buildings. www.durst.org

About One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center sets new standards of design, construction, sustainability and beauty and heralds the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. Managed, operated, and leased by The Durst Organization and built by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, One World Trade Center is an icon of New York's skyline, a center of innovation and creativity, and the most recognized office address in the world.
About the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency’s network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity.

About ION Media

ION Media is an independent, privately held media company launched in 2006. As the nation’s largest broadcast station group owner, ION’s 60 full-power stations reach 98 million homes, including in 24 of the top 25 markets. The company’s flagship, ION Television, is a top 10-ranked U.S. general entertainment network featuring a “Positively Entertaining” schedule of proven, award-winning programs, quality original series and popular holiday movies available on multiple platforms via its state-of-the art distribution system. ION Media also owns two digital networks: Qubo, featuring quality children’s programming, and ION Life, dedicated to healthy, active lifestyles. For more information, visit www.ionmedia.com.

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Contact:
Chris Addeo
ION Media
561.682.4210
chrisaddeo@ionmedia.com

Jordan Barowitz
The Durst Organization
212.257.6605
jbarowitz@durst.org